1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable assembly, and particularly to a cable assembly having a cable connector and a power adapter respectively for signal and power transmission.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent days, an electrical connector known as a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (Serial ATA) connector, according to the newly developed Serial ATA interface standard, is developed to be generally used for connecting storage peripheral devices such as hard disk drives with a mother printed circuit board so as to achieve signal or power transmission therebetween. The Serial ATA connector has many advantages such as low voltage requirement, low pin count and high speed transmission.
A pair of Serial ATA power cable assemblies are generally employed to perform power transmission between the storage peripheral device and the mother printed circuit board. Each Serial ATA power cable assembly comprises a cable with two Serial ATA power connectors terminating at two opposite ends thereof, one of which is connected to the mother printed circuit board or the storage peripheral device and another of which is adapted to mate with one of the connectors of another cable assembly. When the two matable Serial ATA power connectors mate with each other, a power transmission is thus established between the storage peripheral device and the mother printed circuit board. However, in some particular circumstances, the two matable Serial ATA power connectors of the pair of cable assemblies do not directly mate with each other. Accordingly, a power adapter is required for connecting these two matable Serial ATA power connectors together.
On the other hand, two separate connectors are generally provided to respectively perform the signal and power transmission between the storage peripheral device and the mother printed circuit board. However, forming the two separate connectors is expensive and inconvenient compared to the formation of a unitary member which can perform the functions of signal and power transmission.
Hence, a cable assembly having a cable connector and a power adapter respectively for signal and power transmission is highly desired.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cable assembly having a cable connector and a power adapter respectively for signal and power transmission.
In order to achieve the object set forth, a cable assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a first connector, a cable and a second connector both electrically connecting to the first connector. The first connector comprises a first insulating housing having an elongated base with a first and a second mating ports integrally extending from one side thereof, and a plurality of first and second contacts received in the first and the second mating ports, respectively. The cable and the second connector are attached to the other side of the base along a lengthwise direction. The cable comprises a plurality of conductors electrically connecting with the first contacts. The second connector comprises a second housing back to back assembled to the first housing and a plurality of third contacts electrically connecting with the second contacts.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.